Their Realizations
by x-izziechan-x
Summary: Complete! After Natsu gets violently jealous over Lucy, they each realize exactly what they mean to each other. NaLu. Rated T for swearing, some violence, and, later, make out sessions.
1. Jealous Much?

**Hello! This is my first fanfiction ever. The first chapter is mediocre, in my opinion, and so I'm uploading the second chapter tomorrow. It does get better! Trust me. :3**

 **I initially wanted it to be beta-read, but I couldn't get anyone to respond to my requests, so...**

 **~ If any beta is reading this and would like to check out my next chapter(s), please PM me! ~**

 **Thanks a million for reading, and any reviews or, dare I say, favorites, are very much appreciated.**

 **\- Izzie-Chan**

* * *

It was yet another noisy, sunny day at the packed guildhall. It seemed like everyone was there today, laughing, talking, or just drinking: Levy had her nose in a comically large volume, and Gajeel, who was gnashing on some iron, was sitting next to her. Erza was eating strawberry cake, Juvia was stalking Gray, Happy was chatting with Charla and Wendy, and Elfman was perusing the job board. Mirajane was tending the bar, discreetly listening and giggling at the two guild members seated on the barstools nearby. Gray was sulking.

 _Why is he just sitting there?_ He asked himself.

Natsu, the pink-headed dragon boy Gray was referring to, was sitting alone at a table, his face turned away from the bar. He looked miffed, or like he had something on his mind, but there was no way in hell Gray was going to ask.

 _If he doesn't want to fight, fine. Doesn't matter to me._

And there _was_ something on Natsu's mind, something that made it impossible to think about anything else.

Lucy.

She was only sitting up at the bar, but it felt like she was a mile away. Instead of Natsu cozily perched next to her, as it should be, she was sitting next to _him._

Loke.

The guild's favorite playboy was in another flirtatious mood, and although Natsu couldn't see Loke, he could easily hear his playful, suggestive chat with Lucy.

"Y'know, Lucy, I'd really love to go out on a date with you. I think we'd be very… C _ompatible_." He smirked, his hand lightly tracing Lucy's arm.

Natsu grew angered, instead of just irritated. He didn't know why, exactly. Lucy was just Loke's friend, right? And plenty of guys have tried to make a move on her before. _And besides,_ he continued thinking. _Loke flirts with_ all _the girls in the guild. How is this any different? But it is different_ , Natsu thought, _because he's messin' with_ _my_ _Lucy._

This last thought startled him. _My Lucy?_ Where did that come from?

He shook his head of these thoughts, and was just about to throw his chair back and beat Loke up when he heard Lucy's response.

"Loke," she laughed, playing with her lovely blonde hair. "Seriously, can't you take 'no' for an answer? I love you, as a friend of course, but I'm really not interested in dating right now."

Loke made an exaggerated pouty face, then, perking up, raised his eyebrow. "Well, then," he said, lowly, leaning towards her ear to whisper. "Would you let me sleep in your bed tonight? Natsu says it's _so_ comfortable."

At this, Lucy felt heat rush to her cheeks, and it wasn't the thought of Loke in her bed that prompted her blush. It was memories of Natsu in her bed, holding her tightly in his strong, warm arms that made her feel this way. Sure, she used to try to kick him out of bed, but recently… she would give in more easily. Not hitting him as hard in the morning (or at all), making sure to leave room for him to crawl in at night, reciprocating his gentle touches. _Actually,_ she thought. _I can't even sleep without him there anymore_. _I miss him when he stays at his house for the night._

This last thought startled her. Where did that come from?

BOOM.

Lucy's thoughts were interrupted by an abrupt slamming noise. Swiveling around in her chair, startled, she looked up to see Natsu pinning Loke by his shoulders up on the wall. Although Natsu's hands were ablaze, his eyes had fire in them too, but not physical flames. He had a wildly insane look on his face, but also a sort of pained look, too. Loke looked scared to death, even though he was clearly trying to keep his cool.

Lucy was scared to death for Loke, too.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HER?" Natsu roared. "NO ONE TALKS TO MY LUCY LIKE THAT!"

At the first _boom_ , the entire guild turned to the source of the noise. Now they were _really_ staring, but Lucy and Natsu didn't notice. The guild was silent, too, and obviously startled. Unlike Natsu's fights with Gray, this was something different altogether.

Lucy had never seen him quite like this before, either. Except… when he was protecting her from whatever enemy they were fighting at the time. _Then_ he had that look on his face.

"NATSU!"

Her voice echoed loudly throughout the silent hall.

Springing out of her seat, she struggled to push her way between Natsu and Loke, her eyes wide.

Natsu slowly let go of Loke, his eyes still burning intensely

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?" Loke yelled, still a bit shaken.

Natsu said nothing, looking away furiously.

"Are you alright, Loke?" Lucy said, turning to the lion spirit.

"I'm fine, thank you. Talk to you later, Lucy," He said, brushing his jacket off and stepping away. After shooting Mira a glance, he walked past Natsu and muttered, "Asshole".

Natsu was about to lunge, not yet realizing Loke was already out the door, when Lucy roughly grabbed his arm. When he turned his head around, her piercing gaze trapped him. Unable to move or talk, all he could do was listen.

"WHAT THE HELL, NATSU?" She screamed, shaking with fury, not even noticing the numerous sets of eyes attached to the scene.

"I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE YOU MESS WITH _MY_ FRIEND LIKE THAT AGAIN!"

Natsu couldn't imagine Lucy like this. He couldn't remember at time she had been this angry with him. He fought with Gray all the time; how was this any different?

But Lucy kept staring at him. Her face said she was angry, but also worried and hurt. She seemed like she was about to cry.

Why? What made her like this?

Pain swelled up in Natsu's chest. _He made her like this._ How could he have done this? When he hurt Loke, he also hurt Lucy.

 _I hurt Lucy._

The thought reverberated in his mind. Hadn't he sworn, _hadn't he known_ _in his heart_ he would never, ever hurt her? Or let anyone else hurt her? But he had. He could see in her eyes.

"Why did you do that?" She asked, quieter this time.

"I didn't want him talking to you like that." Natsu replied, softly, eyes still locked on hers.

Tears finally welled up in her eyes, and she angrily let go of his arm, finally, after what seemed like an eternity.

"What does it matter to you?! You said yourself, that you don't like-"

Glancing around suddenly, Lucy realized everyone was staring. Everyone. They were all silent, listening, and shocked. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized what a scene Natsu, and she, had caused.

"BAKA!"She yelled, dashing out of the hall.

Natsu was left standing alone, hurt and angry. At himself. At Lucy. At everything. He stormed out of the hall too, doors slamming behind him.

As the entirety of the guild started murmuring softly about the scene that just occurred, Mirajane was still at her corner of the bar, open-mouthed.

This didn't turn out the way she had planned at all.


	2. His Realization

**Hello again!**

 **I'm so surprised that so many people read the first chapter - and I really appreciate that you guys took the time to do so!  
**

 **As promised, here is chapter 2 - His Realization. I'm really happy with how it turned out, and I'm so excited to share it.  
**

 **Thanks a million,  
**

 **\- Izzie-Chan  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 2 - His Realization**

Why did he do that?

The question consumed Natsu's mind.

He was so angry, so upset, what the hell happened to him? He only felt that way - that protective - when he was in battle, and Lucy was in danger.

But she wasn't.

It was just the player, harmlessly chatting with Lucy. _Yet_ , Natsu thought. _I acted like a total jackass over it._  
Didn't he know how close Lucy was to Loke? They shared such a deep bond, such a deep connection. She summoned all of her spirits to save him, knowing that she could've absolutely died! And on top of that, he's her celestial spirit. So, when Natsu hurt Loke... he also hurt Lucy.

Hadn't Natsu sworn to protect Lucy at all costs? Even his own life? To never let anyone hurt her?

But he _had_ hurt her, and that made Natsu more angry than Loke's ridiculous flirting. Besides, it was clear she didn't have romantic feelings towards the lion spirit.

So why did he do that?

Jealousy.

The sudden idea came from a seemingly dark, cramped space in his mind.

Jealousy?  
The word had a foreign feel to it, unnatural. Natsu Dragneel does not get jealous over a person. Ever.  
But yet, Natsu wasn't so sure. He didn't even know what jealousy was, exactly. Sure, he got irritated at all the guys Lucy seemed to constantly be chased by, but that's not jealousy...

is it?

All this ran through Natsu's mind as he was aimlessly wandering around Magnolia after leaving the guild that day, trying to avoid anyone who was present for his outburst. Natsu didn't usually get ashamed, but now he was. He attacked his guildmate and hurt Lucy, his best friend and nakama, in the process.

He didn't know what to do with himself. He needed to make up with Lucy quickly. But how? An apology didn't seem like enough. A gift? He knew Lucy loved gifts, so it seemed like a great idea.

At this moment, Natsu passed by the book store. A huge grin spread on his face as he peered through the window. Lucy loved books!

It's perfect.

But... She's already read so many... How would he know which one to get? Shrugging, he stalked through the door and into the orderly aisles of texts. He immediately got frustrated, what with the millions of _really thick_ books staring him down, but he cooled down quickly. _I gotta get something_ , Natsu said to himself. _For Luce._  
Looking around, his eyes landed on a large sign pointing to the third aisle.

ROMANCE

Also perfect. Lucy loves books and loves romance, so romance books are, naturally, a great gift.  
Nodding, he braced himself and turned the corner quickly, only to barrel directly into someone.

"Oof," a high voice said.

Opening his eyes, Natsu saw none other than Levy grasping at a comically large book, looking a bit disheveled from the hit.

"Crap, sorry Levy, I didn't even see you there."

Levy smiled, somewhat disoriented, but suddenly opened her eyes wide, as if she were in shock.  
"Natsu... You do realize you're in a _book_ store, right?" She said, slowly.

Abashed, Natsu scratched the back of his neck. Crap, he was specifically trying to avoid anyone from the guild, and of course he ends up literally running into Levy.  
"Uh… Yeah. Kind of. I Mean... I'm here for someone, to buy them a gift," he stammered.

Levy nodded knowingly. "Oh, I see," she began innocently. "So, do you know what kind of books this _person_ likes to read?"

Natsu twisted his face up.

"Well, I know she - I mean, they - likes romance books. Which is why I'm here, because I'm buying them a book... And hopefully they'll like it because -" He cut himself off, shaking his head. Argh, he was so nuts today.  
Levy nodded knowingly. She knew exactly why Natsu was in here - why else would he be buying books, in a bookstore, in the romance section? She also knew that a certain blonde-haired celestial mage just so happened to love romance books.

Levy jumped for joy internally. Finally! It was about time that Natsu realized his feelings, even just a little bit. _Why else would he have been so possessive of Lu-Chan today?_ She thought.  
Outwardly, after placing her book down, Levy looked around nonchalantly before spotting exactly what she wanted.

"Okay. If it's for who I think it is - and don't deny it, Natsu - then get her..." The petite blunette reached up on the wooden bookshelf to pluck a thick, rustic hard cover text. "- this. She'll really love it, I know. It's perfect." She finished, smiling up at the dragon slayer and dropping the book in his hands.

Levy knew for a fact Lucy had never read it, and it wasn't a cheap paperback, either - it would really impress her that Natsu spent so much on the text.

Relief flooded Natsus face. Levy really was such a good friend, to both Lucy and him.  
Gripping the book tightly, "Thanks a bunch, Levy, you're amazing! Hopefully Luce will forgive me..." He added, a worried tone coloring his voice.

Levy pulled him towards the cash register, her booties clicking on the hard floor. "Of course she will, Natsu. Lu-Chan could never stay mad at you." Nodding, Natsu followed her, placing the heavy tome on the counter. Cringing at the price on the register, he nonetheless reached deep into his pocket to fish out his old leather wallet.

"Good luck, Natsu," Levy waved, already distracted by another book, as he headed out.

"Thanks!" Natsu grinned, elated.

* * *

Outside, the sun was setting, casting a warm glow on Magnolia. Natsu sat on a nearby bench.  
 _I guess I'll wait a little bit longer to give it to Luce, until she cools off._

With nothing better to do, Natsu scrutinized the book cover, which featured scrolling pink hearts on a brown background.

What did Lucy see in romance books? How could they be so interesting that she would have an entire shelf of them at her apartment? Curious, Natsu turned to a random page. Someone, a guy, was professing their love to a girl. They described their undying love, how they cared more for her than anything in the world, how they longed to protect her, would die for her. Natsus eyes widened as he ignored the weird glances from the people who walked by.

He scanned faster, and the dialogue read like a checklist.

He would die for her.  
He would protect her.  
He though she was beautiful.  
He loved her company.  
He was gloomy when she wasn't around.  
He couldn't imagine life without her.  
He was possessive of her.

Natsu started, then read over the items, slowly this time.

 _He would die for her._

Hasn't Natsu nearly died, countless times? To simply make sure she was safe? He would rather die than live in a world with Lucy. He couldn't even imagine it. Sure, he had lived nearly 17 years without even conceiving of her existence, but once they met… Natsu instantly knew they would become close. And now… Natsu couldn't even imagine his life without her.

 _He would protect her._

Yes… of course. Every day, Natsu protected her. She would say, "Natsu! I'm fine. I can take of myself!" And she could. She was the strongest celestial mage in Fiore, no doubt about it. She could handle herself, no problem. But if someone hurt her… Natsu's blood would boil.

 _He thought she was beautiful._

Absolutely. At first, maybe he didn't notice her looks. Who cared? She was a nakama, what did it matter what she looked like? But soon… Natsu had realized how pretty she was. _No, pretty's not the right word._ Natsu thought. _Amazingly beautiful._

 _He loved her company, was gloomy when she wasn't around, and couldn't imagine life without her._

Natsu got lonely at night, all the time. Where would he go? To Lucy's. To sneak into her bed. To sleep together. To be with her. Were they so close, he couldn't stay away from her for _eight hours?_ And when Lucy would go on solo missions (which he hated), Natsu would go crazy. _Life is so boring without her,_ he thought. And once again, he couldn't ever imagine life without her.

 _He was possessive of her._

Natsu didn't really understand what that meant, exactly. But maybe... Hadn't he just nearly killed Loke for _talking_ with Lucy?. And didn't he say… _my Lucy? My Lucy. Mine, and mine alone._ Yes, absolutely. Possessive totally described it. He didn't want anyone else to have her. No one. And that's why he almost destroyed the guild hall's bar over a comment. Natsu knew that Loke's comment about sleeping in Lucy's bed sent him over the edge. He didn't want anyone else in her bed except him. No one else. Definitely, positively, Natsu was jealous that day.

Yes, all those things applied to how Natsu felt about Lucy. Absolutely.

Who would else feel that way about Lucy, unless they were in a relationship with her? Unless they cared for her more than anyone else in the world?

Unless they loved her?

The realization struck Natsu like a punch from Gajeel.

Natsu was... in love with Lucy?

No... she was his nakama! His best friend, partner! Not... his lover.

Sure, he had heard the whispered comments from people at the guild.

When Natsu would throw his arm around Lucy, Cana would snicker, mumbling something about love birds.  
Whenever he and Lucy would talk, about nearly anything, Mira would have a sort of sparkle in her eye while making suggestive comments, although Natsu was, at the time, oblivious.  
Even Gray would try to goad Natsu into "making a move before she's taken". When Gray had said that, Natsu had no clue what he meant.

But now he did.

He thought about how much he cared about Lucy. How, when he thought about it critically, they didn't really act like friends, or even partners. No, they really did act like a couple. Hell, didn't he constantly sleep in her bed with her? Weren't they nearly always together? Hadn't he gotten closer to her, and she to him, than any other member of the guild? No wonder Happy would constantly tease them about how "she liiiiikes you," or "you liiiiike her"!

Natsu was in love with Lucy.

Maybe he had been in love with her for a while. He had certainly felt this way, for a long time. Maybe, maybe, he just hadn't thought to call it love. But it was there, and it had been, for some time.

He finally, finally realized it.

Leaning back on the bench, Natsu gazed up at the slowly dimming sky.

 _So this is what love is like_ , he mused. _I just wonder how the hell I didn't notice it before._

So, Natsu sat for many minutes, simply thinking, for the first time in his life. He had never ever thought so much.  
He thought about Lucy.

He examined his feelings towards her.

He examined her feelings towards him.

And by the end of it, Natsu was very confused. Who knew how Lucy felt about him?

Because Natsu sure didn't.


	3. Her Realization

**Hi guys!**

 **I rewrote this chapter three times before I felt I got it right, and that it was the best it could possibly be. I'm a** ** _huge_** **fan of Loke (and Levy, because she's adorable) and all his Lucy-adoring, so I just had to bring him back. But, as this is a NaLu fic, there will def be some one-sided LoLu comin' up.**

 **Poor Loke!**

 **Also, I've noticed the chapters keep getting longer and longer - please let me know if this one is too long! Any other criticism is welcome, too.**

 **As always, thank you for all of the response. Seeing how many people have read this** ** **(even if it's just a few)** makes my day, and I truly hope this story makes your day, too!**

 **Thanks a million,**

 **\- Izzie-Chan**

* * *

 **Chapter 3 – Her Realization**

Lucy dashed in the general direction of her apartment, the guild doors slamming behind her with a bang. She shook with every step, and her heart was thumping mercilessly. Although the baking sun beat down on her hair, she shivered, making her bones hurt. Hot, salty tears, pooling in her brown eyes and blurring her vision, threatened to slide down her red cheeks. Running through the rustic streets of Magnolia, her boots clacking loudly, people gawked at her, although Lucy could care less. Her mind was on other things.

 _God, why did he have to do that? Everyone was staring!_

Her distressed face, initially constrained, finally broke into a grimace as she reached her apartment. Running up the stairs to her door, she fiddled with her keys hurriedly, the back of her hand wet with the liquid emotions that she had wiped from her blurry eyes.

Slamming the door, she threw her keys on the table and launched herself onto her bed, her body racked with uncontrollable sobs.

"Why – hic – am – I crying?!" Lucy yelled to herself. When did she ever cry, unless her friends were in danger? Unless the guild was in danger? Unless _she_ was in danger?

Lucy knew why she was crying.

Confusion.

Lucy's weeping quieted as she thought about _that_ night.

A few nights prior, Natsu had once again snuck into Lucy's bedroom, although for whatever reason Happy was not with him. After seeing him in her bed and yelling at him to get out for a few minutes, Lucy finally assented to his staying over. When they laid together in the darkness, however, Lucy couldn't sleep, as she normally could with his warm form next to her own. She couldn't shut her brain off, and so she hazarded a question, hoping Natsu wasn't asleep yet.

"Hey, Natsu…"

Natu looked over at her, the moonlight streaming through the window, making his dark eyes sparkle slightly. He seemed kind of somber, too, unlike his usual carefree disposition.

"Yeah, Luce?"

Lucy shifted slightly, struggling to simultaneously hide her face while still gauging Natsu's reaction. She failed, and settled on simply staring at the ceiling.

"Do you ever… feel… lonely? Even though… you have really great friends, like Happy, and Gray, and Erza?"

Natsu continued to look at her, but instead of looking melancholy, as he had before, he look slightly… surprised. Like he couldn't believe Lucy would understand.

"Well…" Natsu started, a thoughtful look forming on his face.

"I mean, I don't know, Luce. I really miss Igneel, of course, but the guild, and all our friends… they really help with that –that… feeling of loneliness when you lose people you love. They're like family. I mean, they _are_ family. But, even though I have family… I still do get lonely, but I don't really know what's missing. When I'm at my house at night, even though Happy's there… It doesn't feel like home. It feels a bit, empty. So I come over here at night. It helps. With the loneliness, I mean. So now you know why I come over all the time, I guess,"

As Natsu had said all this, Lucy's eyes grew wider and wider.

Natsu… feels lonely?

And comes to Lucy's house to _feel better_?

 _So that's why he always came,_ Lucy thought to herself. She felt terrible. She always gave him such a hard time, and yet… he was just lonely. He was alone, and he came to her. Not to Gray's house, or Erza's house, or even Lissanna's house.

To Lucy's.

Lucy, feeling a mixture of empathy and self-contempt, rolled over and grabbed Natsu, pulling him into her and encircling her arms around him. At first, she felt him stiffen in surprise, but he soon relaxed into the embrace and grabbed her tightly, his face buried in her light hair.

"I'm so sorry, Natsu… Loneliness… is deadly. It kills. No one should ever have to go through that. Especially not you, because you're just… such a good person. Just… really, really good," Lucy said into Natsu's shoulders, her voice muffled.

Lucy understood exactly how Natsu felt. She would have never, ever imagined that he would voice how she herself felt, nearly word for word. The guild had been family to her, as well; after her father died, she had no family except for them, yet they staved off much of the emptiness she would have otherwise experienced. Yes, Lucy had family, but still, Natsu was the one who helped her the most. The one who comforted her, and wiped her tears, and supported her throughout it.

It broke her heart that Natsu had to suffer like that.

"I'm okay, Luce. I'm fine, don't worry. I'm fine because I have you. And you have me. We're nakama, we take care of each other."

Although it made her happy that Natsu opened up to her, his words echoed through Lucy's mind, bouncing around and making it impossible to hear anything else.

"We're nakama,"

"We're _nakama_ ,"

" _nakama"_

After that day, Lucy had done a lot of thinking. The way he had said everything else that night, Natsu made it seem like Lucy was everything to him. And maybe she was. But then he threw in that _nakama_ comment. After everything they've been through together, and after all the things Natsu had done for Lucy and vice versa, shouldn't they be more than _nakama_? Lucy had thought so.

Lucy had, for some months, understood her feelings for her partner. The way he always protected her, cared so much for her, _understood her…_ Lucy couldn't help but fall for the boyish dragon slayer.

His looks didn't help, either. Now, Lucy didn't think herself to be particularly shallow, despite everyone exclaiming otherwise, but she certainly had standards! Fourtunately, Natsu fit the bill, one hundred percent. He was toned and strong, had deep, dark eyes, and Lucy had always had a thing for guys with wild hair.

But Lucy didn't really fall for his looks.

Hadn't he given her everything? Hadn't he given her Fairy Tail? Her friends? Her life? Hadn't he literally _saved her life_ more times than she could count?

And, no, it wasn't just what he had _done_ for her. It was him. He was so… good. He was so unequivocally devoted to being the best person he could ever be. And it came so naturally. He always did the right thing. Always. Even when the right thing wasn't obvious. He struggled, and struggled, and _never quit_ until he came out on top. He went into everything like he didn't even believe he could fail. When things got bad, Natsu was there, giving everyone hope.

Natsu was Lucy's light.

And Lucy couldn't stop herself.

She knew.

She just knew, without a doubt, that she loved him.

As a partner.

As a friend.

But, mainly, as much more than a friend.

Much more.

Lucy didn't ever, ever, want to leave Natsu's side. Ever.

But …how could she take a chance in telling him her feelings? Could they make it if the relationship got rocky? Could their friendship survive?

 _If he even liked her back?_

Lucy never wanted to hurt him. He was lonely without her – he made that very clear – and she would never, ever, in a million years want to jeopardize their relationship over her own feelings.

But then there was that _My Lucy_ comment from today.

Was she his nakama?

Or 'his Lucy'?

She did-

 **POOF!**

A sudden noise derailed Lucy's previous train of thought.

"KYAAA!" Lucy cried, sitting upright, her hand immediately shooting to her keys. A thick smoke filled her bedroom, and she felt a presence in the haze. A spirit. Which one?

A figure with ginger hair rose out of the haze, his glasses glaring in the afternoon sun beaming through the window.

"Loke!" Lucy cried, smiling. As the fog cleared, she jumped up to grab him in a hug, which he gladly returned. Disengaging, Lucy looked up at him and quickly spoke before he could say anything.

"I'm so sorry about what Natsu did today, I don't know why he did that – "

Loke interjected, smiling fondly at Lucy. "Princess – it's okay. It is absolutely not your fault for his actions… I could never blame you for it,"

Lucy returned his smile before a worried look appeared on her face. "Thank you, Loke. I'm still concerned about him though… He's never acted like this before."

Loke turned his head away, his delicate features setting into a sad expression.

 _My love… she cares so much for him. I could never compete. My looks, my charisma… it doesn't matter to her._ _But even so… No matter Lucy's feelings… I will still always love her. And she will never abandon me._

Putting on a brave face, the lion spirit started again.

" I understand why Natsu did that… and it is partially my fault, which is what I came to tell you,"

Lucy was surprised. _Why in the world would it be Loke's fault?_ She thought.

"What happened? How could it be your fault?"

"A few days ago, when I was visiting the guild, Mira approached me,"

Lucy raised an eyebrow, suspicious. _I can immediately tell where this is going…_

"She described to me the relationship between you and Natsu…"

"Wha- why…?"

"It pained me, to say the least," Loke continued, uninterrupted. "She is far too obsessed with other peoples' lives. Anyway, she told me she needed some help with something, and I, reluctantly, agreed. She told me that, as a test, I needed to flirt with you to make Natsu jealous. I –"

"WHAT?! I CAN'T BELIEVE MIRA WOULD-"

"of course," Loke continued, ignoring Lucy's outburst. "declined. I said, 'No way, Mira, am I getting in between Natsu and his girl –"

Lucy's face reddened. "HIS GIRL?! I-"

"He'll beat me to a pulp!'" Loke cried, gesturing dramatically. "And so she told me that whatever Natsu would do to me if I 'talked' with you, she would do twice as much damage if I didn't do as she asked. So, I was… obliged… to cooperate. I went ahead with the test, and, well, the rest you know. So… Mira was right,"

Lucy looked dumbfounded.

"Mira was… right about what?"

"That Natsu would get jealous of my flirting, meaning that… Natsu likes you,"

Lucy's face reddened yet again.

"Damn that Mira! Messing with my love life! I- She- Why – I – can't!" She blubbered, covering her eyes with her hands.

Regaining her composure, Lucy sighed, letting her arms drop to her side unceremoniously.

"Loke, Natsu does _not_ like me like that. I'm his _nakama_. He said that himself, directly to me," She said, sighing morosely.

Pushing his glasses up, Loke shook his head.

"Look, Lucy. I'm not going to tell you what to think – It's really none of my business – but I will tell you this. Everyone in the guild pretty much knows how Natsu feels about you. Everyone in the guild also pretty much knows how you feel about Natsu. But… only you can decide – or realize – _exactly_ how you, and Natsu, feel about each other. But I know for a fact that Natsu cares so much for you, which is why he did what he did today."

Chuckling at Lucy's red face, Loke winked.

"Take it from Fairy Tail's number one player,"

And so with a seemingly nonchalant wave of his hand and a 'Farewell, Princess', Loke headed back to the spirit world with a lovelorn heart.

Lucy stood in yet another cloud of smoke, astonished.

 _Every one… in the guild… thinks Natsu likes me?_

Once again, Lucy was unbelievably confused.

Did Natsu like Lucy?

 _Especially today, with his overt display of possessiveness…_ she thought.

Everything pointed towards Natsu liking her.

Or did he?

 _Nakama_?

Or _My Lucy_?

Today, Natsu's jealousy made Lucy consider her own feelings.

But what about Natsu's own feelings?

Lucy, resolved, clenched her fists in determination.

 _No!_ She was NOT going to go down that road. No. She had to protect him.

So, with much force, Lucy shoved these thoughts out of her mind and pretended that today was like any other day.

She struggled to continue her novel.

She made dinner and ate, alone.

She took a shower, where she held back tears.

She, yet again, sat at her neat writing desk.

No words came out of her pen.

"GAHH!" Lucy jumped out of her seat, stomping her feet and turning in a circle in front of her writing desk.

"WHEN-DID-LIFE-GET-SO-COMP-LI-CA-TED?!" She yelled, immensely frustrated.

"AND WHERE THE HELL DID NATSU GO?! HE HASN'T SHOWN HIS FACE _ALL_ DAY!" She screamed, very loudly, to the wall.

"I'm right here, Luce,"

"KYAA!"


	4. Their Reunion

**Hello!**

 **A/N are spoilery, so I put them below this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4 – Their Reunion**

"KYAA!" Lucy yelled, for the second time that day. Swiveling around on her heel, she tumbled backwards, blindly grabbing onto her desk for something to hold onto and upsetting the messy papers littered about. Her eyes closed, she braced for impact, yet instead of the hard floor, she felt warm, hard arms ensnare her hastily.

Opening her brown eyes, she saw Natsu, his face not four inches from her own, his eyes wide. Hundreds of papers lazily drifted down around them, like autumn leaves falling on a calm evening. They stood there, Lucy's arms around Natsu's neck and his arms encircling her waist, for what seemed like an eternity, simply staring dazedly at each other. As Lucy watched his face, she noticed his eyes flicker down towards her lips, before he blinked rapidly.

"Hey, Luce. You okay?" He said, softly, the first to regain his composure.

Lucy nodded mutely before clearing her throat and attempting to right herself, her arms unwillingly removing themselves from his neck. No, she did not want to let go. She wanted to be in his arms all day long. All night.

Yes, God, she wanted that.

Before she could stand up straight, however, Natsu tightened his grip around her waist, and he narrowed his eyes. Lucy couldn't react before Natsu leaned in further, gently sniffing her face and furrowing his pink eyebrows. Their noses were centimeters apart, causing her breath to hitch. He was… smelling her?

 _What the hell…?_ Lucy thought.

Natsu suddenly moved his head back, staring intently and moving his hands from Lucy's back to cup her face.

"What are you-" Lucy started.

"Have you been crying?" He asked, concern flooding his face.

Lucy's eyes widened again. Of course he would be able to smell the tears. She was surprised she didn't look like she had been crying.

Lucy quickly averted her eyes. She really did not want to have this conversation. What would she tell Natsu?

That she was crying over unrequited love?

That she loved him, and she was devastated he didn't love her back?

How could she lie to him? Lucy knew she couldn't. He made her feel so much with so little effort… no. Natsu would get the truth from her, one way or another.

"Luce…" He tilted her head up, forcing her to look at him and be ensnared by his piercing gaze.

"Tell me… why?"

Natsu knew why, but he wanted to hear it from her. Once again, he felt a stab of remorse. It was a punch in the gut, a dagger to his heart. It made his head swim, but the undercurrent was still the same as it had been all day.

 _I did this to her._

He looked deep in her chocolate eyes that were darkened with emotion, and he nearly cried himself. He never, ever wanted to see… to see His Lucy like this.

Yes, she was His Lucy.

He knew that now, fully.

 _You're My Lucy._

And he wanted to protect her. To make sure she never got hurt, was never sad. That she was never lonely and never, ever lost in life.

Foremost, Natsu wanted Lucy to know that he was always, always there for her.

"Oh, God, Luce… I'm so sorry!" He cried out, his face in a grimace. He pulled her to him once again, her head buried in his shoulder, his tan hand immersed in her fair hair. Lucy sniffled slightly, but refused to cry.

 _No!_ She thought, clenching her fists on his chest, hot, salty tears squeezing out of the corners of her tightly shut eyes.

 _I'm not going to do that to Natsu!_

 _I'm never going to hurt him!_

"Natsu…" She said, her light yet constrained voice muffled. "Thank you for the apology. I forgive you. And… I- I was only crying because of… because of how embarrassed I was."

Yes, Lucy would play it off like that. Those tears were _definitely_ not lovelorn. Maybe she could pull off this lie. She would do it for Natsu.

Natsu pulled her from him gently, looking slightly down at her as he was a couple of inches taller. They looked at each other again, Natsu's gaze scrutinizing, Lucy's guarded and careful. No, they weren't simply gazing into each other's eyes.

This was a staring contest.

A battle.

Natsu squinted slightly, his face darkening and his eyebrows furrowed. He looked… vexed.

Lucy slightly opened her eyes wider, realizing what was happening. Understanding Natsu's thoughts.

Sure, it seemed like embarrassment would be the obvious reason for why Lucy would be crying. She got embarrassed so easily; it's logical she would cry over it.

But Natsu _instantaneously_ knew – right when Lucy uttered those words – that they were false. Natsu knew Lucy far too well not to catch the deception. But… what would she be lying for? What could she have been so upset about, yet she could not tell him? Why would she keep something like that from him?

"Liar."

At this sole word that echoed through Lucy's empty apartment, she slammed her eyes shut. Dropping her arms to her sides, she stepped backwards noiselessly.

Of course Natsu would know. Of course he would call her out on it.

 _Goddammit!_ Lucy screamed internally, although her face was calm.

Natsu caught on so easily. _Quickly, too,_ she thought sardonically. _I should have known._

Natsu was perplexed. Why would she lie to him? They tell each other everything! Secrets between Lucy and Natsu are nonexistent. Implausible. Everybody knew that.

They were too close for secrets.

Yet here Lucy was, two feet in front of him, refusing to look him in the eye.

"Natsu," Lucy began suddenly, raising her head and smiling innocently at him. "I'm fine. Trust me. I _was_ crying, but you know how easily embarrassed I get. I'm okay now, so don't worry!" She beamed.

Anyone else would have accepted that smile. Grinned back, even. And it was a great ruse. It really was. Lucy did well.

But Natsu was probably the only person in the entire world who would notice how very wrong it looked. How the smile, despite Lucy's very best efforts and best impression of natural cheerfulness, did not travel to her eyes. Hadn't Natsu been enthralled with that passionate sparkle that she got whenever she was excited about something? The easy, carefree tilt of Lucy's head, so carefully posed, was ever so slightly… stiff.

Natsu stood, then closed his eyes, the frustrations of the day nearly boiling over.

"Lucy,"

Lucy snapped out of her overly-happy façade, eyeing Natsu warily.

 _Lucy?_

His tone said he was angry, but also worried and hurt. And when does he ever call her _'Lucy'_? She nearly cried. She was doing this to avoid hurting him, but she ended up causing him distress anyway. It saddened her terribly.

 _I am such a terrible friend! Can't I do anything right?_

"Lucy," Natsu continued. "Please just tell me. You know you can tell me anything. I'm here for you. Why are you lying to me?"

Lucy, already frustrated, already so sick and _just so tired_ of all these _stupid, stupid_ feelings, exploded.

"Because, Natsu. Everybody has problems! I have problems! You have problems! But I can't fix mine, and you can't fix them, either! So yes, I am lying. And I'm not going to tell the truth. But I wasn't lying when I said I was fine. I am. Really. So just... Lay off," Lucy said, her arms crossed.

Now Natsu looked more hurt than ever. Maybe even worse than Lucy had looked earlier that day. He just stood there, staring at the ground. He literally looked like he was in physical pain.

And he was.

Once again, Natsu felt the sharpest dagger to the heart, but this time, it was for different reasons. Didn't Lucy trust him? Hadn't he told her about his loneliness? No one could help him with that, either, but he still admitted it to her.

Natsu looked up at Lucy, and saw fresh tears shimmering in her eyes. He could tell she already felt remorse for what she said. Lucy reached out a hand towards Natsu and staggered towards him, other hand covering her mouth. Natsu just stood there.

When did Natsu ever do nothing? He was always the one to run off before talking about things, the one to punch first, think last. Yet here he was, simply staring at Lucy with a defeated look in his somber eyes.  
Lucy let out a sob before collapsing on the floor, her legs folded beneath her, both hands covering her eyes.

 _I am so weak. I can't..._

 _I can't keep my feelings to myself!_

Natsu stared down at her crumpled form and felt his heart break for her. Whatever was wrong, he had to help her.

To protect her.

To end this… to put an end whatever was hurting her.

Despite her hurting him.

He kneeled down in front of her, grabbing her arms in his hands. Natsu felt like telling her how much he loved her personality. Felt like telling her how he loved her laugh, her beauty, her inner strength.

How he loved _her_.

But he couldn't.

Not now, when she was clearly so distressed, and he was very upset, too.

Natsu became incensed. How the hell did things get like this? On this single day they had fought more than they had for nearly the entire year.

When did things become so complicated?

Lucy shook with the sobbing. She felt Natsu pull her hands away from her face, revealing her damp eyes that couldn't produce anymore tears. Natsu was intently staring into her deep orbs, no more than an inch away. He seemed so helpless, like he didn't know what to do. Like he had some inner conflict.

Their noses almost touching, Lucy gazed into his eyes.

Those eyes that communicated absolute kindness and trust.

Those eyes that looked at her, now, with sympathy.

Those eyes that were also hurting for her.

Hurting with her.

Natsu gazed into Lucy's eyes.

She looked so broken, so unbelievably sad. He'd never seen her like this before, not unless she had lost someone she loved.

Natsu wanted to help her so very badly.

To save her from this.

"What can I do, Luce?"

Lucy looked down at his soft lips that were centimeters from her own. Natsu's hot, even breaths washed over Lucy. His hands, burning her wrists, anchored her, grounding her in the reality of the situation.

The new feelings, the new experiences, the strangeness.

The tears, the shame, the confusion.

The fighting, the tension, and the raw emotions.

The realizations.

All these crashed down upon Natsu and Lucy as they sat so very, very close to each other on the floor. The revealing nature of the day, and the stresses imparted upon the two as a result manifested themselves in the only outlet possible. It was a dam bursting. It was a floodgate opening.

Maybe, maybe it was a mistake.

But both Natsu and Lucy were too wrecked to care.

And so, simultaneously, as they stared into each other's eyes, Natsu and Lucy, as fast as lightning, closed the tiny distance between them.

With tilted heads, their lips crashed together, Natsu's rough lips meeting Lucy's soft ones. As they moved their lips in unison, each could feel how perfectly they fit together. It was like two pieces of a puzzle, finally connecting. Finally one.

Lucy knew this was a mistake, knew she should've never done this, but she couldn't stop. She was physically incapable of moving away, her want was so great. And when Natsu moved his hands to her back, she involuntarily tugged on Natsu's vest, pulling him even closer, her chest pressing against his.

But, maybe… maybe he wanted her too?

Natsu felt a heat course through his veins, unlike anything he's ever experienced before. As he closed his mouth over hers, his brain, once loudly objecting, shut down, fully silent. As his mind went blank, all he could focus on was Lucy. She smelled so amazing, yet different – a new scent was replacing her usual, this time musky and natural. It made him wild. He took control, licking her lips for entrance. When she opened, he deepened the kiss, his tongue roving deep into her warm, delicious mouth. When Lucy moaned in response, Natsu moved his hands down, grabbing onto Lucy's hips tightly and pulling her onto his lap. Her long legs wrapped around his torso, Natsu pulled away from her lips, breathing raggedly.

Lucy glanced at him dazedly, and her breath hitched. The look in his eyes as he watched her was… instinctual. She had never seen this look before, but she knew exactly what it was.

Desire.

Did he... have feelings for her, too?

Natsu swooped down, his hands still on Lucy's waist, to latch onto her jaw line. Digging her nails in his scalp, she moved her chin up to allow better access. His sharp canines scraped against her skin, and her mewling responses only served to make Natsu's blood shoot very, very low in his stomach. He made a low guttural noise deeply into her neck, pushing her to the floor, their hips still locked together. The sudden pressure between her hips caused Lucy to gasp, and Natsu took the opportunity to, once again, seal his lips over Lucy's. His hand slowly and gently drifted up Lucy's soft leg, the long limb still wrapped around him. His hotter-than-normal hand steadily migrated down to Lucy's tiny pink shorts, playing with the hem. Natsu wondered how he didn't notice those before.

As Natsu continued to taste Lucy's lips, he was still distracted by her _very_ thin shorts. Oh, God, he could rip those off in half a second. And the scent coming from them… The thought made him growl deeply in Lucy's mouth, and she shivered, bucking her hips passionately against his. The sudden friction of her short material against his member made him push himself deeper against her as they kissed, her large, silky chest pressing tightly against his. Oh, God, he needed to feel her. Feel him in her.

Lucy moaned lustfully in response, her hands roving over his hard, exposed chest. Oh, she had always noticed it, but she nearly sighed in delight from being able to feel his abs uninhibited, and the-

Lucy suddenly realized the direction they were headed.

Crap.

They needed to stop.

"Na-Natsu…" She said breathily, pulling away from his lips as his hand started grabbing tightly on her chest.

 _No, don't go there! I won't be able to think!_

Natsu looked up at her, his eyes passionate yet clear, his hand frozen, his chest heaving in and out.

Lucy, breathing heavily also, stared at him, her mind still fuzzy from the tingling sensations all over her body.

Natsu, seeing her response, suddenly sat up, leaning back and rubbing his eyes. He can't believe he did that! He didn't even know why he…

He was so, so very confused.

"Ugh, shit. I'm sorry, Lucy – "

Lucy looked at Natsu. Why was he sorry? What did he do wrong? She did this! She let her feelings get in the way of their friendship!

Lucy sat up also, her heart barely slowing down.

"Natsu, I- I'm so sorry, too. I've been… I couldn't stop myself, I've…"

Lucy averted her eyes.

Natsu looked up at her, concerned yet again, although his head was much clearer.

Lucy looked up suddenly. Her voice breaking, she spoke.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time."

Natsu's jaw nearly dropped. Lucy has…?

"You – you wanted to-?"

Lucy nodded, her gaze finally meeting his again.

"I tried to deny it, but… I couldn't. Not any longer. And I understand if you don't like me back, I know we just kissed but I feel like that was my fault, somehow? Like I forced myself on you, and you didn't even…"

Lucy didn't know how to put it into words. She was fearful that Natsu didn't know what was going on, that he was just following his instincts… she worried he didn't have feelings for her, but had pent up… frustrations.

She didn't know how Natsu felt about her, and she didn't want to confuse him.

To complicate their simple relationship.

With a gasp and fresh tears streaming like a river from her eyes, Lucy grabbed her ducked head in her hands. Her face was red, she felt like dying, she was going to hurt Natsu!

But she had to protect him!

 _Oh God! I ruined it!_

 _I ruined us!_

Natsu finally realized the state of Lucy's mind.

Lucy's bangs covering her eyes, she nearly screamed, her ear-splitting voice making him draw back.

"Natsu, I'm so sorry!"

* * *

 **Hello!**

 **I'm realllly sorry about how long I took to write and upload this chapter! Two weeks is a while for a chapter of this length. However, I had some concerns about the level of drama and I didn't know if the (very hard to write) make out session was completely necessary, although who doesn't love some hot NaLu scenes? [Insert eyebrow waggling here.]**

 **Additionally, it took me a while to get Natsu and Lucy's respective states of mind correct; they're both so confused after the previous chapters, I worked hard to make their feelings as natural as possible. I also tried to keep them both in character – Natsu just realized how he felt about Lucy, and she's really confused about how he feels about her. I'd imagine it'd be pretty tough on both of them. Especially Lucy, because I imagine she would be reserved about her feelings, mostly because she wouldn't want to hurt Natsu.**

 **Ah, but, excuses, excuses.**

 **So, if I dropped the ball on this one, please let me know! Also, if you liked it, tell me that, too!**

 **Thanks a million,**

 **\- Izzie-chan**


	5. Words, Not Actions

**Chapter 5 – Words, Not Actions**

"Dammit to hell, Natsu, put me down!"

"No can do, Luce. We've gotta clear your mind, we've gotta figure things out, y'know?"

Lucy scowled in Natsu's arms that were wrapped tightly around her, holding her bridal style.

 _Don't you dare drop me_ , Lucy thought, but then she immediately scoffed at the idea. Natsu would never, ever drop her. Never let her fall - physically, mentally, emotionally. Natsu would take care of her. Always.

"Where are you - no! Don't you dare go out the - use the door! NA- NATSUUU!"

Lucy screamed as Natsu jumped straight out the window, landing cleanly on the ground outside, the window slamming itself shut.

Natsu grinned down at the scowling girl in his arms. Lucy was always quite terrifying when she got angry, but she was nothing short of adorable when irritated. The way her full lips pouted out, the way her cheeks puffed slightly...

Lucy snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Natsu. Put me down,"

Natsu obliged, still grinning slightly as Lucy dusted herself off. Straightening, she looked up at Natsu to see his smile, and she could barely help but smile too.

After Lucy had screamed her apology earlier, Natsu initially seemed startled, almost scared. But then, he got a determined glint in his eye and grabbed her, lifting her up against his chest snugly.

Once again, Natsu had faced the situation with bravery and strength. He had never seen Lucy like this - broken and disturbed about something that wasn't immediately apparent - yet he responded like he knew just what to do.

Even though Lucy knew he didn't.

And then that expression - how was it that Natsu could smile, even in the worst of times? When no one else could?

He really was Lucy's light.

"C'mon, Luce. Let's take a walk," Natsu said, not grabbing her hand as he normally would. Something told him she needed a bit of space, at least for now.

Lucy mutely nodded, letting out a calming breath.

They walked side by side on the streets of Magnolia, golden orbs of light dotting the sidewalks and illuminating their path. It was a cool night; the wind blew breezily, and the pleasant rustling of the trees created a calm aura. Few people were out, Lucy noted as they continued their stroll. As a result of the late hour, the usual bustle of the town was silenced, a gentle quiet replacing the constant noise of the day.

Lucy looked up at the sky, a serene appearance gracing her features. The sea-breeze, laced with a delicate scent of salt and flowers, gently pushed the wispy clouds through the air. Behind them, innumerable stars shone like pinpricks of light through a vast, inky ocean. The full moon, having had risen hours prior, peacefully smiled down at the two young people that quietly padded towards an unspoken, yet mutually agreed upon destination.

Smooth cobblestone roads shortly evolved into rolling, grassy hills punctuated by clumps of squat, blooming bushes and the rustic wooden benches that dotted Magnolia Park. The floral scent quickly intensified, and Natsu could easily differentiate the varied smells, even though he couldn't say from which flower each fragrance originated from.

Lucy almost sighed at her surroundings. Natsu was absolutely right; this was precisely what she needed to relax and objectively scrutinize what occurred between them.

Beside her, Natsu soaked in Lucy's placid demeanor, relishing in her contentment and making it his own. Her happiness was fully his, an effective opiate to the horrors of reality, an antidote against the deadliest of curses. She was his life force, her mere presence running through his veins, giving him strength and vivacity.

They soon came upon the one place they knew they both desired, and sat unceremoniously at the base of the Sakura tree, the soft grass bending to their weight. The memories connected to this area flooded both of their minds, and they silently connected over their shared past.

Natsu looked over at Lucy, her fair hair flowing ethereally in the zephyr and softly glowing in the silver moonlight. In that moment, she was a spirit, graceful and lovely, free from the world's troubles.

It made Natsu feel alive, yet tranquil. At peace. Natsu dimly wondered, albeit in simpler terms, how this was possible. He was perpetually boisterous and unruly; extreme, violent, impassioned.

But with Lucy, he was calmed, checked, content. Previously, he fought for himself and his friends. Now, he fought for Lucy. His friends were never forgotten, but Lucy was the most important person in his world.

She made him whole, complete. She filled voids in his life he never knew he had. No, his fiery personality would never change, but his motivations might.

"Luce, I'll tell you why I acted that way today. At the guild, I mean,"

At the sound of her name in the stillness of the night, Lucy turned to face the pink-haired boy. His eyes didn't avoid her gaze, instead gently locking with hers. Natsu was always very true to his feelings; he may not understand them fully, yet he always wore his heart on his sleeve.

Lucy knew he had always been better at handling her feelings than she was.

He turned slightly, their knees barely touching.

Lucy nodded. She truly wanted to understand his actions. Even though she knew in her heart why, especially after everything that had happened that night, she never wanted to get her hopes up. That he might love her, too.

"You know how much I care for you, right? That I would die for you? I... I'm not good with words, but I know how I Loke started messing around with you, I flipped. I couldn't stand to have someone else be so... Close. With you. I wanted you to myself. I _want_ you to myself. For you to be mine. I've felt this way for a while now, but, I just never knew what to call it. I knew you were my nakama, and I thought that was what this was. But, how I feel is like being thirsty, but calling it hunger. Thirst is way more intense, and I didn't know to call it what it actually was. I just assumed... But I have never felt this way about anyone. Never. And so, today, I realized that..." Natsu trailed off, gazing up at the sky.

He didn't know if this was a mistake. Looking back at Lucy, he momentarily studied the hopeful, eager look on her face. She seemed to yearn for what he might say. Right at that moment, Natsu knew this was the right decision. He knew how perfect they were for each other.

It was as if it were fate. No, destiny.

Looking fondly into her warm, compassionate eyes, Natsu breathed in slightly, his bravery returning tenfold.

"That I love you, Luce,"

Time slowed, and Lucy's breath hitched at Natsu's plain confession. She knew she would remember everything about this moment. The way Natsu's dark, searching eyes hopefully stared into her own. The way the pale Sakura flowers gingerly glided around him, forming a stunning, picturesque scene. The feeling of the soft, muted grass underneath her. The twinkling, dancing stars, the sole onlookers to their small, shared instant of time.

Lucy felt so free, a bird allowed to sing for the first time. Her heart, for so long trapped in it's own misery and confusion, was finally opened, and the emotions within allowed to steam out, a waterfall of memories and feelings that combined to form her love for Natsu.

She reached her thin hand up to Natsu's face, an almost indescribable expression upon her own, one that spoke of endearment and fondness.

"I love you, too, Natsu,"

Lucy knew it wasn't much, but over time, she would personally tell him all the reasons she loved him the way she did. For then, that simple statement perfectly encapsulated exactly how she felt about him; that she cared so much, believed in him, loved every quirk, characteristic, and trait that was Natsu Dragneel.

Natsu returned the smile, a soft, sentimental look, different from his usual grin. That one statement was everything he needed.

He knew how this would turn out. No matter what happened, he and Lucy would be by each other's side. Laughing. Protecting. Caring.

Loving.

But then, in that moment, all he wanted to do was live in the present and enjoy the perfection of the minutes that passed.

As Lucy put her hand down, Natsu grinned, his eyebrow rising.

"Now, I know we kissed earlier, but... I'm pretty sure most people do it after they spill their guts to each other,"

Lucy laughed, a light, joyous sound that made Natsu's heart leap.

Lucy knew that Natsu wasn't the perfect romantic that she had dreamed about in the years past.

But as they both leaned in to tenderly, gently kiss each other, she wouldn't have him, and her life, any other way.

And when they moved to touch their foreheads together, eyes closed, Natsu saw this sign of absolute trust as a promise - of a wonderful future.

Of a life well shared, together.

* * *

"Well, then, I'll see you tomorrow, Natsu,"

Lucy waved cheerily from the door to her apartment, her voice airy, her hand holding the spare key from underneath the doormat.

After they had kissed and talked more, Natsu walked her home, saying something about being tired. Lucy had agreed, as she was emotionally and mentally tired herself. Sleep would do well for her.

As they walked home, Lucy thought about their confessions. After all their caring tendencies and behaviors that they exhibited before today, the confessions seemed more like a formality than anything. Now that Lucy thought about it, they had, for a long time, acted like a couple.

Actions spoke louder than words, but it was beautiful hearing them from Natsu himself.

At Lucy's somewhat dismissive wave in front of her door, Natsu shook his head quickly, thoroughly confused.

"What, why? I thought I would get to sleep in your bed tonight!" He said with a slight whininess.

Lucy opened her eyes wide, then smiled broadly, pulling him by the hand into her apartment.

So that's why he was so "tired".

That rat.

But that's okay. They were in a relationship now, right? So, of course they would sleep in the same bed occasionally. _And besides_ , Lucy thought. _He'll just sneak in later, anyways_.

But yes, absolutely, Lucy wanted him in her bed. It felt right. Natural. So why argue? Habit?

Natsu grinned back in response, his fingers laced through Lucy's. She let him go, stooping to pick up the papers littered about and filing them neatly on her desk.

She glanced over to see Natsu already spread out on her bed, and she smiled. He was so childish sometimes, but Lucy didn't mind. It was endearing.

Lucy looked around the apartment, nodding in satisfaction. She took one step towards the bed when she realized how off something was.

Her body immediately swiveled around, and she quickly made her way towards the window. Natsu, now propped up on his elbows, eyed her warily.

What now...?

Lucy stomped to the floor by the window, then picked something up.

A book.

"Natsu, do you know where this came from? This isn't mine," She said, holding up a thick brown book with hearts on the cover for Natsu to analyze.

Natsu started, remembering his gift from earlier. He kind of wished he hadn't spent the money on it; things were fine between Lucy and him now anyways.

"Oh, yeah," he began, scratching the back of his head. "I bought that after I left the guild today, as an, uh, apology. Levy helped me pick it out, so... Lucy?" Natsu stared at the girl in front of him, her eyes widening by the second. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Trying again, she was finally successful.

"Natsu... You, bought this? For me?"

Natsu nodded easily.

"Yeah, I kinda forgot about it, but I- oof!"

Natsu was silenced by Lucy nearly leaping on him and hugging tightly. He responded, grabbing her too, and he could feel her smile. It was just a book, what was the big deal?

"Thank you, Natsu, I love it. That was really, very nice of you," Lucy looked up at Natsu.

Natsu smiled slightly.

"It was really no big deal... It's really nothing, especially after what I did today,"

Lucy shook her head, smiling, but then she tilted her head slightly, a different expression appearing on her face.

"Natsu... I know why you did do that, now... But, would you do something for me?"

Natsu nodded. He would do anything for her.

"Promise me you'll never do that again... Hurt someone over your possessiveness, I mean. Never," Lucy added seriously.

Natsu, after pausing, nodded solemnly. It was wrong, what he did. Sure, his intentions were good, but the way he acted on them was unhealthy. And if it hurt his Lucy, then there was no way he would ever do it again.

"I promise, Luce,"

And from that day forward, Natsu never went back on his word.

But, then, Natsu had a thought. He explained his actions to Lucy, but he still didn't know why she was acting so strange today.

"Um, Luce, I'm curious about one thing... Why were you so upset today? I still don't understand. I know, now, you seem better, but..." Natsu trailed off.

Lucy frowned slightly. Now, after all was said and done, she felt slightly ridiculous. Wouldn't Natsu and she make it? Wouldn't they always be side by side? Lucy knew now that nothing could ever tear them apart. Why had she been so worried?

"Well, Natsu, I... I've cared for you ever since I met you. But, over time, my feelings really grew. I couldn't - I can't - imagine my life without you. I've felt this way... For a while now,"

Lucy paused, looking down at her connected hands while collecting her thoughts. She hadn't anticipated on explaining herself so soon.

"You're an amazing person, Natsu, you're my light," she continued, her courage growing as she gauged Natsu's reaction.

"You are so good so naturally. I'm amazed at your inner strength..."

"But it's not just that... I love your personality, the way you always want to be around me... You make me feel special," She said, her voice rising in tone.

"And I always want to be around you, too, Natsu. Remember when I told you that it's more fun when we're together? That's... That's absolutely true. But... I was scared! I didn't know how you felt about me, I was so confused... And when we kissed the first time... I thought I had made you confused? I-"

Natsu grabbed her hand, stopping her, a serious look on his face.

"Why would I be confused, Lucy? I kissed you back, didn't I?"

Lucy nodded slightly, feeling terrible.

"You did, but I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't want to jeopardize our friendship... Being around you is more important to me than my own feelings. If we didn't make it, I... I was dumb, Natsu. Of course we'll be okay. How could I not trust in our bond?"

Natsu grinned. "I do, Luce,"

Lucy smiled back, then kissed Natsu's cheek.

"So do I,"

They hugged again, a warm and familiar gesture.

"But I really am tired. We can talk more tomorrow," Lucy said, yawning.

Getting up to place the book on her shelf, Lucy made her way back to the bed, where Natsu was impatiently beckoning her. She sat down on the bed, and after flicking the lights off, Natsu immediately pulled her very close to him, her back against his chest.

Lucy felt so comforted. She fit perfectly in his arms, and his warmth radiated through her. When she was like this, together with Natsu, she couldn't even conceive of loneliness. It was just happiness. Contentment. Perfection.

Natsu loved having her in his arms. Really, for a long time, he had felt this way. Even though he was holding her, it made Natsu feel secure. Safe. It was just Lucy and he, underneath the fluffy blankets, closer to each other than anyone else in the world. Every time Lucy breathed in, breathed out, he felt her regular movements and it lulled him into a deep, dreamless sleep.

It wasn't her bed that was so comfortable; it was Lucy's presence. He made her feel at home. She was his home.

When they both were about to drift to peacefulness, the moonlight gently framing their bodies, Lucy suddenly jerked up, alarm apparent in her demeanor. In the sudden movement, Natsu let go, and his eyes flew open.

"Lucy, what's happening?"

"Natsu - we've been gone from the guild all day long - we're going to have to go back tomorrow!"

Natsu, confused, scratched his head.

"Uhh, yeah. I was planning to, anyway. Why, what's wrong?"

"Well, what are we going to tell them? Are we going to keep it a secret? Oh God, if they find out!" Lucy said dramatically, her face already flushing deeply. They were going to embarrass her so badly!

Natsu rolled his eyes, grabbing her waist and trapping her in his grip once again. He calmly settled into her body, making himself comfortable.

"Pfft, Luce," he mumbled into her hair, drowsiness already taking over.

"Worry about that t'morrow. Just... Sleep for now... Things'll be fine..." His voice drifted off, replaced by light, soft snoring.

Lucy softly snorted, almost giggling at his childish sleepiness.

As she settled herself once again, she smiled, giving in to the sleep herself.

Natsu, yet again, was right.

Tomorrow would handle itself.

Hopefully.

* * *

 **Hello!**

 **It was actually quite hard to make sure Our OTP wasn't OOC in this chapter – the [somewhat] mushy formal confessions I had so much fun writing kind of made me wonder if those two would really say all that. Maybe they would, maybe not. It works with this story, though, I think.**

 **Plus! I put a crap-ton of descriptives in here – I wanted to make this chapter really beautiful. The previous entry was very physical, very "okay, we're just doing this now, don't know why", but in this one Lucy and Natsu acted more intentional, more romantic. It was a nice change, I think.**

 **Anyway, thanks for reading this far! This chapter was the longest yet, and the next one is going to be [a bit] shorter, unless I add some extra stuff. So, tell me if you liked this chapter or not! I love hearing what you have to say, and it makes me so happy.**

 **Thanks a million,**

 **\- Izzie-Chan**


	6. Meet the Guildmates

**Chapter 6 – Meet The Guild**

Lucy wiped her sweaty palms on her stiff, dark blue skirt, her frantic eyes traveling up and down the large, simple doors of the guildhall. The guild members' collective voices, only slightly muffled by the thick wood, mixed and mingled to form a deep and wild roar, like a lion's call, except with more cussing.

Beside her, Natsu, still as a statue, a painting depicting perfect ease, was lazily leaning against the wall, his hands clasped behind his head. Glancing over at the nervous girl beside him, he rolled his eyes.

"Sheesh, Luce. What's the matter? They're not gonna bite your head off!" He said, closing his eyes and leaning his head back, letting the luminous late-morning sun wash over his face. Natsu had always loved the sun – it was hot and bright and reminded him of fire. It was like a flaming ball in the sky.

Lucy swiveled on her heel and crossed her thin arms at Natsu's exclamation.

" _Of course_ they will!" She screeched adamantly, a piercing sound that contrasted sharply with the calm of the townspeople that surrounded them. God, why didn't Natsu get it?

"Of all people, you should know, Natsu, that those guys – and girls - in there can be super gross. Just thinking of the comments…" Lucy trailed off, mortification apparent on her face. Looking down at the grass, she bit her lip.

How could they avoid the weird things all of their friends were sure to do? Jabs, jokes, and jeers were going to run rampant – how would she cope? One of the leftover personality traits from Lucy's former privileged life was that she couldn't deal with embarrassing situations. Appearances meant a lot to her and… and…

 _And what?_

Lucy looked up at Natsu, and seeing the sun beam onto his carefree, patient profile, she felt her own insecurities dissipate.

 _What am I worried about?_ She asked herself.

 _They're our friends._

 _They're our family._

Righting herself – when had she crouched down? – Lucy stepped over to where Natsu was standing. Blinking, Lucy realized her boyfriend of 12 hours was missing.

"Na -?"

Lucy was quickly cut off by someone roughly grabbing her waist. Freezing, Lucy immediately she knew it was Natsu, but what was the hell was he doing? Lucy felt his hot breath on her ear.

"Sorry, Luce, I get bored just standing there, y'know?"

And suddenly, Lucy was unceremoniously shoved through the heavy doors.

"WAHHH!"

Nearly falling, her heels clacking, Lucy struggled to regain her balance as she stumbled into the large hall. And oh, oh yes, it was packed.

Lucy scanned the room, and similarly to the previous day, everyone was there. But over the usual commotion, no one noticed her entrance. Standing up, Lucy turned her head to see Natsu easily strolling in behind her and up to her side.

"Natsu, you're on thin ice, dammit! If you push me one more time-"

Natsu laughed loudly, a bellowing sound that did nothing more than irritate the celestial mage.

"You worry too much, Luce,"

Scowling, Lucy scanned the room yet again. Her eyes passed the Erza, Juvia, Gray, Cana, and the others, before landing on the bar, and, consequently, the demonic maid behind it.

Lucy watched the white-haired beauty raise her head and glance between she and Natsu, and when Mira made eye contact with Lucy, it was as if time had stopped.

Instantaneously, although to Lucy it felt like an hour, Mira's azure eyes opened wide, and her jaw dropped. She initially had a look of utter shock and extreme confusion, although less than a second later her face revealed an expression of pure clarity.

Mira let out an audible gasp, even over the noise, and her hands let go of the tray full of empty glasses she was drying to cover her gaping mouth.

At the exceptionally loud sound of a dozen glasses breaking, the entire guild turned to the source of the clatter.

All sets of eyes on Mira, they followed her intense gaze to the two young mages standing in shock at the door.

Everyone was staring. At Lucy. At Natsu. And back at Mira.

The parallels to the previous day were unsettling.

Mira raised a shaking finger to point at the two, and Lucy breathed out quickly.

"Y-you two! When did you become a couple?"

The entire guild gasped, including Lucy, although Natsu seemed more amused than anything.

"Mira! W-what are you talking about?" Lucy bluffed, however shocked she was. How the hell did she figure it out so quickly? It was instantaneous! Mira looked at them, and she understood, completely, the extent of their relationship.

"Don't lie to me, Lucy! You and Natsu are a couple now!"

Mira was giddy, her voice high and bubbly, although the rest of the guild was silent. Perhaps they were still processing the news?

Lucy squirmed underneath all the eyes glued to her and Natsu, an uncharacteristic silence lying thickly upon the guild. Even Natsu was becoming unnerved at the scrutiny, and he fidgeted with his trademark scarf.

The silence continued for an eternity, or so it seemed, until someone suddenly yelled out.

"Dammit to hell, I had money on this shit!"

And then the entire guild simultaneously erupted into a deafening roar of everything from wolf whistles, happy yells, irritated grumbles and clapping.

Yells of "Congratulations!" from Wakaba and "We knew it was gonna happen!" from Wendy and "Took you guys long enough!" from Elfman were heard.

Looking over, Lucy saw Natsu grinning cockily at the scene. She couldn't help but smile too; when Natsu was happy, she was happy. Everything would be fine.

The noise continued as groups of guildmates swelled up to Lucy and Natsu. Lucy caught a glimpse of blue hair - Levy waved, bounding up to throw her arms around Lucy.

"Lu-Chan! I'm so happy for you and Natsu!" She cried.

"Thank you, Levy!" Lucy said, beaming.

Levy turned to Natsu.

"Did you give it to her yet?"

"What, the book? Yeah, thanks again. It actually helped me figure things out, a bit," was the response. Levy seemed ecstatic at this, and energetically waved Gajeel over.

"Gajeel! Come tell them how happy you are!"

The iron dragon slayer trudged up, a poorly-feigned look of happiness on his face. He really would do anything for his shrimp.

"Uhh, yeah," he said gravelly before clearing his throat awkwardly. "I'm real happy for ya, bunny girl. Even you, Salamander. Yer a great pair," Then he shuffled off uncomfortably after Lucy and Natsu thanked him, although Natsu's respone was a mere grunt.

Minutes passed, and Lucy and Natsu continued to glad-hand with everyone in the guild, from Macao to Makarov, who happily gave the couple his blessing with a wink to Natsu, who grinned.

When they finally had a break from the people, they struggled to walk to the bar for some relief. Natsu was especially irritated; he usually liked being the center of attention, or at least it didn't bother him, but wasn't this a bit excessive?

"QUIET!"

At this stern word, the entire guild, still noisily yelling, went still. The sound of a chair sliding against the floor was heard, and Erza stood up from a table, a dark look on her features. Her deep red hair swishing from her intense gait, she stomped up to Natsu, the thick crowds parting to give a wide berth. In the blink of an eye, she equipped her most menacing sword and pointed it straight at Natsu, who quickly retreated backwards against the wall. The entire guild staring, horrified, Erza glared at him with deadly look that could instantly kill a weaker person.

"Natsu Dragneel! If what Mirajane says is true, that you and Lucy are a-" Her voice slightly faltered as her eye flickered to the blonde-haired girl beside her. "-couple, I will not let you and Lucy out of my sight! If you harm her, mentally or physically, intentional or otherwise, you will not make it ten feet before I destroy you. Lucy will always be protected by me,"

Lucy gasped at this. Didn't Erza realize...?

Natsu continued staring at the tip of the blade, his face a strange gray color.

"But," Erza relaxed her sword, giving Natsu some breathing room. "I know you. And I know how much you care for Lucy. I also understand that you will never, ever hurt her," she finished.

Natsu relaxed also, breathing out shakily.

"Because you know that I will kill you if you do," Erza added, returning her sword to the spirit dimension. Everyone sweatdropped. Leave it to Titania to overdo her threats.

Lucy, exasperated, said, "Thank you, Erza," to which the S-Class mage nodded proudly, slamming Lucy into a painful hug against the hard armor.

Soon Natsu and Lucy could make their way to the bar, where Mira excitedly stood.

"Hey, Mira," Natsu said as they sat down.

"Hello! I'm so glad you two are finally together!" Mira squealed, dreams of pink and blonde babies running through her mind.

Natsu laughed. "You should be! It was your plan to make me jealous in the first place,"

Mira's blue eyes widened. "Who told you?"

"I did, Mira," Lucy responded for Natsu. "Loke told me yesterday,"

Mira grit her teeth, her demonic side appearing, but then quickly relaxed. She was too happy to consider Loke's treachery.

Lucy on the other hand, worried about her Lion Spirit. She knew she wouldn't be seeing him any time soon, unless she was in danger.

Her thoughts continued before she felt an arm thrown around her.

Turning around, she saw a calmly smiling Gray. She beamed up at him, ignoring Natsu's obvious irritation.

"Gray!" Lucy cried, happy to see another one of her best friends.

"Hey, Lucy. Congrats," he said coolly.

"Thank you!" Lucy smiled. Gray was an amazing friend.

"Hey, popsicle dick, get your arm off my girl," Natsu growled. Seriously, wasn't that the point of getting into a relationship? To keep others away from your mate?

Lucy and Gray groaned in unison. "Shut up, Natsu!"

Natsu deflated, kept in check by his promise to Lucy.

Gray removed himself from Lucy, then stepped over to Natsu around the bar stools. Leaning in, he narrowed his eyes, an act his frenemy mirrored.

"Y'know, Natsu," Gray started. Natsu immediately realized that he meant business - the lack of name calling was a definite sign of his seriousness.

"I'm real happy for you and Lucy. But I swear - if you hurt her, even _make her cry once_... Your ass is mine. I will punish you. Don't forget it, either. Erza and I are quite similar in that way - we're both gonna protect Lucy,"

As Natsu quietly grunted affirmation- seriously, why the hell was everyone giving him all this crap - Lucy smiled despite herself. Her friends cared so much for her. They protected her, just like Natsu did, and it made Lucy happy, even if they did have a strange way of showing their affection.

"Thank you Gray," she said to the raven-haired guy.

Gray shrugged. "You're like my little sister," he said quietly, looking down at the floor. "I care a lot about you,"

Lucy was touched, to say the least, and responded with a _thanks_ when Juvia ran up.

"Juvia is here, Gray-Sama!" She cried, before acknowledging Lucy and Natsu.

"Natsu, Former Love Rival,"

 _Hmm_ , Lucy hummed internally. _Maybe I won't be Juvia's_ love rival _anymore…_ But Lucy knew only time would tell.

Lucy turned back to Natsu - God, all their friends were nice, but...

"So, Lucy,"

Lucy felt someone sliding up next to her, and once she smelt the alcohol, heard the jangle of newly-won jewels, and saw the wavy brunette hair, she knew who it was.

"Hey, Cana," Lucy waved at her friend, who was leaning on the bar, her breasts smashed against the flat surface.

"Thanks to you and Natsu, I've won quite a few jewels from all these bets I've made with people," She drawled.

Lucy glared at her slightly - who the hell gambles on other people's love life? - when Cana's tone changed, and the card mage raised an eyebrow.

"So... Has Natsu nailed you yet?" She said breezily, loud enough for a large portion of the guild to hear.

Lucy sputtered, her face turning red hot at the laughs that came from surrounding guild members. Although she avoided looking at him, out of the corner of her eye she could Natsu calmly regarding Cana. Did he not realize what she meant?

"Oh, I guess you two inexperienced youths haven't been together long enough," Cana said when she noticed Lucy's fumbling response and Natsu's indifference.

"Well, anyway, when you finally seal the deal, let me know how he was in the sack, 'kay, Lucy?" She said, before standing up and confidently exclaiming that she had to collect from Elfman, who was yelling about how unmanly it is to lose a bet.

"Oh my God!" Lucy quietly exclaimed, turning and leaning against Natsu's chest, her face still burning up.

"Don't get so worked up, Luce," Natsu said calmly, his hand on her hair.

"Cana's always been like this, you know that,"

Lucy groaned.

Natsu pulled her head up to look into her eyes. "Hey, don't worry. Since the cat's out of the bag anyway, you wanna head out? Maybe, get a bite to eat?" Natsu said, gently smiling down at Lucy.

Confused, Lucy mused. _He's probably just hungry!_ Then, another though formed in her mind. She smiled back shyly, then spoke, barely audible.

"You mean... Like a date?"

Grabbing Lucy's hand, Natsu leaped up from his seat, his smile transforming into a sneaky grin.

"Only if you're paying!" He cried out, pulling Lucy behind him as he bounded out of the hall and into the luminous sunlight.

Lucy groaned, even though she, too, was smiling broadly.

* * *

And so, after a few days time, things returned to normal at the guild. Lucy and Natsu continued to go on jobs with Erza and Gray. Natsu still protected Lucy with his life, and Lucy protected him with hers, just as they always have, despite the slight change in their relationship.

Many of their guildmates saw it coming; they knew all along that Lucy and Natsu would become a couple.

But others? Well, it certainly took them a long time to realize.

* * *

 **Hello!**

 **I'm so sad this story is over! T-T**

 **I've had so much fun writing it, but I've had a plan all along for how to end it – this is it!**

 **Even though it took so long to finish, I'm still not fully satisfied with the ending, because I feel it's not as** ** _interesting_** **as the prior chapters. But, I wanted to restore the characters back to their in-show normal life, to try and mesh this fic in with the series. But, anyway!**

 **Thank you to everyone who favorite, or read, or reviewed – I've always been so happy to see what you thought! You guys are the best!**

 **And, if you liked this fanfic, I have more coming – sooner or later, that is, because this year I've been taking honors chemistry and** ** _it's kicking my ass._** **I'm dying over here. Which is why the chapter took six-goddamn-weeks to finish.**

 **Coming up :**

 **A College!ReiNako fanfic – possibly a (exceptionally long) one shot, maybe two/three chapters.**

 **A Gruvia/Slight NaLu AU oneshot – actually quite funny, but it's not as complete as the other upcoming fic.**

 **So, once again, thanks a million, everyone! 3333**

 **Until next time,**

 **\- Izzie-chan**


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